Valve mechanism for ice removal system

ABSTRACT

A valve having inlet, outlet and exhaust ports for inflating and evacuating air from pneumatic ice removal tubes in which air is evacuated from the tubes through an exhaust port while a reduced amount of high pressure air from the inlet port is directed through an orifice to provide subambient pressure in the tubes in the deflated condition. High pressure air is rapidly injected into the tubes through the above-mentioned orifice supplemented by an additional valve opening provided by movement of a valve sleeve in response to closing of the exhaust port of the valve.

United States Patent Tritt et al. I a

[151 3,693,916 51 Sept. 26, 1972 [54] VALVE MECHANISM FOR ICE REMOVAL SYSTEM [72] lnventorst Paul G. Tritt, 4666 Roop Ave., Barberton, Ohio 44203; Michael J.

Buza, 2371 Woodpark Road, Akron, Ohio 44313 [22] Filed: Oct. 29, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 85,086

[52] US. Cl ..244/134 A, 137/59616. l37/625.35,

[51] Int. Cl. ..B64d 15/16 [581 Field ofSearch ..244/134 R, 134 A;417/l83, 417/184, 185; 137/596.l6, 625.64, 625.35

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,753,138 7/1956 Maclntyre ..244/134 A 2,112,290 3/1938 Holland ..417/185 X Pullen et al. ..244/134 R X Guthmann ..417/183 X Primary Examiner-Milton Buchler Assistant Examiner-Gregory W. OConnor Attorney-John D. Haney and Harold S. Meyer [5 7] ABSTRACT A valve having inlet, outlet and exhaust ports for inflating and evacuating air from pneumatic .ice removal tubes in which air is evacuated from the tubes through an'exhaust port while a reduced amount of high pressure air from the inlet port is directed through an orifice to provide subambient pressure in the tubes in the deflated condition. High pressure air is rapidly injected into the tubes through the above-mentioned orifice supplemented by an additional valve opening provided by movement of a valve sleeve in response to closing of the exhaust port of the valve.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTfinszrzsmz 3,693,916

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PAUL G. TRITT ATTY'.

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Y 5 7 0263634 5 I G G l F K 6 F m y I 6 2147B 6 I VALVE MECHANISM FOR ICE REMOVAL SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to aircraft ice removal systems and more particularly to a special valve useful in such systems. The valve is one component of the ice removal system and the valve operates to regulate the supplying and exhausting of fluid pressure to the pneumatically inflatable ice removal boots mounted on airfoils to prevent the accumulation of ice. The boots are ordinarily thin hollow rubber articles which are fastened integrally to the leading edge of an aircraft wing or other airfoil, and include a series of tubes or passages which are alternately inflated and deflated by means of the pneumatic valve to break up accumulations of an ice film forming on the exterior surfaces of the boots.

Prior to the present invention pneumatic systems for operating such boots have included at least three independent components, viz. (a) means for communicating the interior of the deicer boot to a subatmospheric pressure to keep the external contour of the deicer boot as smooth and flat as possible during the deflation period; (b) a separate valve mechanism with essentially a three-way action which is selectively operable to disconnect the deicer interior from the vacuum means and to communicate it with a source of fluid pressure suitable for inflating the interior of the deicer and distending its tubes to break up ice; and (c) a separate valve for diverting the pressure source either to the mechanism described in Item b or to exhaust it to the surroundings. A description of one system and an example of a form of complex mechanism which has been used in such systems is shown in US. Pat. No. 3,394,723. In summary, the functions of maintaining the boots in an evacuated condition and then selectively inflating them has been done-with a series of independent components collectively accomplishing the overall functions but individually unrelated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A pneumatic deicer system is provided in which the pressure supply is exhausted from or directed into a deicer boot by a single valve which performs the three operations performed by the independent components and designated (a), (b) and (c) under the heading of Background of the Invention.

This result is accomplished by providing a system having as the principal operational component a valve mechanism which normally operates as an evacuator to maintain subatmospheric pressure in the deicer boot. To actuate the deicer boot, the valve mechanism has a solenoid for opening and closing the exhaust port and valve openings for rapidly inflating the deicer boot. The construction of the valve mechanism is such that a single component may be used for all theforegoing functions as more particularly described in the following portions of this specification.

The accompanying drawings show one preferred form of ice removal system with a valve built in accordance with and embodying the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a schematic view of an aircraft ice removal system, parts being broken away.

FIG. 2 is an axial cross section of the valve shown in FIG. 1 in the exhaust position, parts being broken away.

FIG. 3 is a view like FIG. 1 but showing the valve in the inflation position, parts being broken away.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG. 1, the improved valve 10 is shown installed in a typical operational aircraft ice removal system and communicates with a deicer boot 11 which may be mounted on an airfoil 12 at the leading edge. The valve 10 communicates with a series of tubes 13 in the boot which may be of resilient rubberlike material and are shown in FIG. 1 in the inflated condition whereas in the deflated condition the tubes provide a smooth surface at the leading edge of the airfoil.

The valve 10 functions in one of its operating positions to conduct a high pressure fluid medium such as air into the tubes 13. In its other operating position, deflation of the tubes 13 is obtained by opening the tubes to atmospheric pressure and applying a subambient pressure to the tubes through a suitable conduit 14 shown schematically in FIG. 1. The conduit 14 is connected to an outlet port 15 of the valve 10 to which the high pressure air is provided from an air pump or other fluid pressure source 17. A supply conduit 18 connects the valve 10 at an inlet port 19 to the fluid pressure source 17. A pressure regulator 20 may be interposed in the supply conduit 18 to control the pressure and flow of air to the valve 10. The valve 10 has an exhaust port 22 through which air evacuated from the tubes '13 is ejected along with vacuum-producing air from the fluid pressure source 17. A solenoid 23 is mounted on the valve 10 for actuation of the valve from suitable controls which supply actuating power through lines 24 and 25.

The structural details of the valve 10 are best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in which the valve has a single main casing 26 containing a sleeve assembly 27 adapted for reciprocating sliding action in a central bore 29 extending lengthwise from one end to the other end of the casing which end of the casing is threaded for receiving a connection to supply conduit 18 at the inlet port 19.

The casing 26 has an outlet port 15 extending through a tubular body 32 integral with the casing and which body is threaded to receive a connection to the outlet conduit 14. The outlet port 15 is located intermediate the inlet port 19 and the exhaust port 22.

Casing 26 otherwise has exhaust openings 33 near the end of sleeve assembly 27.

A tubular body 34 containing the exhaust port 22 is integral with the casing 26 and extends radially outward from the exhaust openings 33 to receive the air ejected from the sleeve assembly 27 and exhausted through the exhaust openings 33. The tubular body 34 may be threaded for connection to an exhaust conduit leading to the outside of the aircraft.

The sleeve assembly 27 has an inner sleeve 35 toward the top of the valve 10, as seen in FIG. 2, which is telescopically inserted in and connected to an outer sleeve 36 toward the bottom of the valve 10. The inner sleeve 35 has a central passage 37 which extends from the inlet port 19 to a wall 38 having an orifice 39 of substantially reduced diameter. Towards the bottom of the valve 10 from the wall 38 is a central passage extension 4 2 of greater diameter than the orifice 39 but of lesser diameter than the central passage'37 in the inner sleeve 35. The central passage extension 42 has the same diameter as central opening 43 in the outer sleeve 36.'The outer diameter of the outer sleeve 36 is sub stantially the same as the inner diameter of the casing at the lower end of the valve 10, as seen in FIG. 2, and provides for a sliding fit which is substantially fluidtight. Theinner'sleeve 35 at the other end of the valve has an outer wall surface 44 which is'spaced from the inner'wall surface 45 of the casing to provide an annular passage 46'between, the inner sleeve and casing 26.,The upper end of the inner sleeve 35 has a flange 47 in sliding engagement with the inner wall surface 45 of the casing and contains axially extending ports 48 through which the air may pass from the inlet port 19 to the annular passage 46 on the other side of the flange 47.

The inner sleeve 35 has a radially extending valve collar 49 for. sealing engagement witha valve seat 52 on the edge of an outlet manifold sleeve 53 mounted in fluid-tight relationship withthe inner wall surface 45 of the casing 26. The manifold sleeve 53 is positioned to abut a shoulder 54 in the inner wall surface 45 of the casing 26..A group of radially extending ports 55 in the manifold sleeve 53 communicate the interior of the sleeve with a circumferential groove 56 in the outer I A face of the sleeve. The inner surface 57 of the sleeve 53 is spacedtfrom the outside surface 44 of the inner sleeve 35 to provide anannular passage extension 58. Another group-of ports 59 are provided in the-wall of the inner sleeve 35 containing the orifice 39 for communicating air from the annular passage extension 58 to and between the central passage extension 42 of the inner sleeve 35. a

From the telescopic connection between the inner sleeve 35 and the outer sleeve 36; the outer sleeve extends to a position close to the edge of the manifold sleeve 53. A spring washer 60 is disposed around the inner sleeve 35 and between the adjacent ends of the manifold sleeve 53 and outer sleeve 36 to hold the outer sleeve 36'inthe position shown in FIG. 2 in the condition where the air is being injected through orifice 39to evacuate air from the inflatable tubes 13 of the deicer boot 1 1.

At the lower end of the outer sleeve 36, as seen in H0. 2, the central opening 43 is enlarged to provide a seat 63 to accommodate a conical spring 64 extending axially of the valve casing 26 in engagement with a ball 65 which is movable axially of the casing by a plunger 66 of the solenoid 23. The ball 65 is movable into engagement with a valve seat 67 at the edge of the outer sleeve 36.

in operation, a fluid medium such as air at a high pressure is conducted to the inlet port 19 by supply conduit 18from fluid pressure source 17 and in the exhaust position of the valve 10, as shown in FIG. 2, the air is injected through the central passage 37 and through the orifice 39 into the central passage extension 42 providing a venturi action. The passage of the air through the orifice 39 creates a subambient pressure which helps evacuate the tubes 13 of the deicer boot 11 by reducing the pressure in the outlet conduit 14 connected to the central passage extension 42 through ports 59 in the inner sleeve 35, annular passage extension 58 between the inner sleeve and the manifold sleeve 53 through the ports 55 in the manifold sleeve and through the groove 56 which is aligned with the outlet port 15 in the valve casing 26. Air evacuated from the tubes 13 and injected through the outlet port 15 is carried from the central passage extension 42 through the central opening 43 in the outer sleeve 36 and to the exhaust port 22. Even though the orifice 39 has a relatively small opening, the central passage extension 42 and central opening 43 are substantially greater in area and during initial deflation of the tubes a large volume of air can be conducted to the exhaust port 22 which facilitates rapid deflation initially with the final evacuation taking place thereafter due to the subambient pressure produced by the venturi action. of the orifice 39. During this evacuation process, the collar 49 is seated in the'valve seat 52 because of the high pressure in the annular passage 46 and the lower pressure in the annular passage extension 58. Furthermore, the spring washer biases the outer sleeve 36 toward the exhaust port 22 to counteract any forces tending to move the outer sleeve in the other direction and open the annular passage 46 to the annular passage extension 58.

When it is desired in inflate and expand the tubes 13 of the deicer boot 1], the solenoid 23 is energized and the plunger 66 vurges the ball into sealing engagement with the valve seat 67 against the resistance of the spring 64 closing the central opening 43 in the outer sleeve 36, as shown in FIG. 3. This axial movement of the plunger 66 against the ball 65 also moves the outer sleeve 36 into engagement with the end of the outlet manifold sleeve 53 compressing the spring washer 60 therebetween. The movement of the outer sleeve 36 carries the inner sleeve 35 along causing the collar 49 to move out of the valve seat 52 creating a supplemental passage 68 between the annular passage 46 and the annular passage extension 58 for air to flow from the inlet port 19 through the ports 48 in flange 47. The flow of air under pressure through the orifice 39 is directed into the outlet port 15 and through the outlet conduit 14 to the inflatable tubes 13 of the deicer boot 11. The size of the supplemental passage 68 through which the air can be injected into the tubes 13 provides for a rapid, immediate expansion of the tubes to effectively remove ice accumulating on the surface of the deicer boot ll.

we therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

1.'A valve for an inflatable ice removal boot compris ing a casing having a first port for communicating fluid pressure into the casing and a second port for exhausting a fluid medium from the casing, said casing having a bore containing a sleeve assembly which is adapted to move axially between an exhaust position and an inflation position, a central passage extending through said sleeve assembly for conducting the fluid medium, said sleeve assembly having an outer surface in slidable and sealing engagement with the surface of said bore, an orifice of reduced diameter located in said central passage communicating fluid medium from said first port to said second port, a third port in said casing intermediate said first port and said second port for communicating the fluid medium between said bore and the ice removal boot, said third port being in communication with said orifice in the area toward said second port for producing a subambient pressure in the ice removal boot in an exhaust condition of the valve in which fluid medium is evacuated from the tubes of the ice removal boot due to flow of the fluid medium through said orifice, a first valve means adapted for shutting off the flow of the fluid medium through said second port in an inflation condition of the valve in which the fluid medium is injected into the tubes of the ice removal boot and power means to close said first valve means whereby the ice removal boot is inflated through said orifice for removal of ice therefrom, a second valve means located in said bore responsive to slidable movement of said sleeve assembly to said inflationposition to open a supplemental passage between said first port and said third port and thereby increase the rate of flow of fluid medium to the ice removal boot and said power means being connected to said sleeve assembly for axial movement in said bore.

2. A valve according to claim 1 wherein said orifice of reduced diameter is located within said sleeve assembly.

3. A valve according to claim 1 wherein said sleeve assembly includes an inner sleeve telescopically connected to an outer sleeve with said central passage extending through said inner sleeve and said outer sleeve, said outer sleeve having an outer surface in slidable and sealing engagement with the surface of said bore.

4. A valve according to claim 1 wherein said sleeve assembly has a portion of the outer surface spaced from the surface of said bore in the area of said third port to provide and annular passage around the outside of said sleeve assembly.

5. A valve according to claim 1 wherein said second valve means comprises a collar on said sleeve assembly in sealing engagement with a valve seat in said casing whereby said collar will be disengaged from said valve seat in said casing upon movement of said sleeve assembly from said exhaust position to said inflation positron.

6. A valve for an inflatable ice removal boot comprising a casing having a first port for communicating fluid pressure into the casing and a second port for exhausting a fluid medium from the casing, said casing having a bore containing a sleeve assembly which is adapted to move axially between an exhaust position and an inflation position, said sleeve assembly including an inner sleeve telescopically connected to an outer sleeve and a central passage extending through said inner sleeve and said outer sleeve for conducting the fluid medium, said outer sleeve having an outer surface in slidable and sealing engagement with the surface of said bore and said inner sleeve having an outer surface spaced from the surface of said bore to provide an annular passage around the outside of said inner sleeve, an orifice of reduced diameter located in said sleeve assembly, communicating fluid medium from said first port to said second port, a third port in said casing intermediate said first port and said second port for communicating the fluid medium between said bore and the ice removal, boot, said third port being in-communication with said orifice in the area toward said second port for producing a subambient pressure in the ice removal boot in an exhaust condition of the valve in which fluid E l i3eiliv3 $?lilri%fil?1r%d l3nlrilu 3533! fice, a first valve means adapted for shutting off the flow of the fluid medium through said second port in an inflation condition of the valve in which the fluid medium is injected into the tubes of the ice removal boot and power means to close said first valve means whereby the ice removal boot is inflated through said orifice for removal of ice therefrom, a second valve means located in said bore responsive to slidable movement of said sleeve assembly to said inflation position to open a supplemental passage between said first port and said third port and thereby increase the rate of flow of fluid medium to the ice removal boot said second valve means comprising a collar on said sleeve assembly in sealing engagement with a valve seat in said casing whereby said collar will be disengaged from said valve seat in said casing upon movement of said sleeve assembly from said exhaust position to said inflation position and said power means being connected to said sleeve assembly for axial movement in said bore.

7. A valve according to claim 6 wherein one end of said inner sleeve is telescopically mounted in said outer sleeve and the other end of said inner sleeve has a radially extending flange in slidable engagement with the surface of said bore and axially extending ports in said flange for carrying the fluid medium from said first port through said annular passage around said inner sleeve and through said supplemental passage to said third port in the inflation position of said sleeve assembly.

, UNITED STATES- PATENT- CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,693,916 Dated September 26, 1972 Inventofls) PAUL G. TRITT and MICHAEL J. BUZA It is certified that etror appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below;

Please show that patent has been assigned to x The B.F.Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y.

Signed and sealed this 8th dayvof May 1973.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attest'ing Officer Commissioner of Patents *IORM Po-mso (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 9 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: I969 0*366-334 

1. A valve for an inflatable ice removal boot comprising a casing having a first port for communicating fluid pressure into the casing and a second port for exhausting a fluid medium from the casing, said casing having a bore containing a sleeve assembly which is adapted to move axially between an exhaust position and an inflation position, a central passage extending through said sleeve assembly for conducting the fluid medium, said sleeve assembly having an outer surface in slidable and sealing engagement with the surface of said bore, an orifice of reduced diameter located in said central passage communicating fluid medium from said first port to said second port, a third port in said casing intermediate said first port and said second port for communicating the fluid medium between said bore and the ice removal boot, said third port being in communication with said orifice in the area toward said second port for producing a subambient pressure in the ice removal boot in an exhaust condition of the valve in which fluid medium is evacuated from the tubes of the ice removal boot due to flow of the fluid medium through said orifice, a first valve means adapted for shutting off the flow of the fluid medium through said second port in an inflation condition of the valve in which the fluid medium is injected into the tubes of the ice removal boot and power means to close said first valve means whereby the ice removal boot is inflated through said orifice for removal of ice therefrom, a second valve means located in said bore responsive to slidable movement of said sleeve assembly to said inflation position to open a supplemental passage between said first port and said third port and thereby increase the rate of flow of fluid medium to the ice removal boot and said power means being connected to said sleeve assembly for axial movement in said bore.
 2. A valve according to claim 1 wherein said orifice of reduced diameter is located within said sleeve assembly.
 3. A valve according to claim 1 wherein said sleeve assembly includes an inner sleeve telescopically connected to an outer sleeve with said central passage extending through said inner sleeve and said outer sleeve, said outer sleeve having an outer surface in slidable and sealing engagement with the surface of said bore.
 4. A valve according to claim 1 wherein said sleeve assembly has a portion of the outer surface spaced from the surface of said bore in the area of said third porT to provide and annular passage around the outside of said sleeve assembly.
 5. A valve according to claim 1 wherein said second valve means comprises a collar on said sleeve assembly in sealing engagement with a valve seat in said casing whereby said collar will be disengaged from said valve seat in said casing upon movement of said sleeve assembly from said exhaust position to said inflation position.
 6. A valve for an inflatable ice removal boot comprising a casing having a first port for communicating fluid pressure into the casing and a second port for exhausting a fluid medium from the casing, said casing having a bore containing a sleeve assembly which is adapted to move axially between an exhaust position and an inflation position, said sleeve assembly including an inner sleeve telescopically connected to an outer sleeve and a central passage extending through said inner sleeve and said outer sleeve for conducting the fluid medium, said outer sleeve having an outer surface in slidable and sealing engagement with the surface of said bore and said inner sleeve having an outer surface spaced from the surface of said bore to provide an annular passage around the outside of said inner sleeve, an orifice of reduced diameter located in said sleeve assembly, communicating fluid medium from said first port to said second port, a third port in said casing intermediate said first port and said second port for communicating the fluid medium between said bore and the ice removal boot, said third port being in communication with said orifice in the area toward said second port for producing a subambient pressure in the ice removal boot in an exhaust condition of the valve in which fluid medium is evacuated from the tubes of the ice removal boot due to flow of the fluid medium through said orifice, a first valve means adapted for shutting off the flow of the fluid medium through said second port in an inflation condition of the valve in which the fluid medium is injected into the tubes of the ice removal boot and power means to close said first valve means whereby the ice removal boot is inflated through said orifice for removal of ice therefrom, a second valve means located in said bore responsive to slidable movement of said sleeve assembly to said inflation position to open a supplemental passage between said first port and said third port and thereby increase the rate of flow of fluid medium to the ice removal boot said second valve means comprising a collar on said sleeve assembly in sealing engagement with a valve seat in said casing whereby said collar will be disengaged from said valve seat in said casing upon movement of said sleeve assembly from said exhaust position to said inflation position and said power means being connected to said sleeve assembly for axial movement in said bore.
 7. A valve according to claim 6 wherein one end of said inner sleeve is telescopically mounted in said outer sleeve and the other end of said inner sleeve has a radially extending flange in slidable engagement with the surface of said bore and axially extending ports in said flange for carrying the fluid medium from said first port through said annular passage around said inner sleeve and through said supplemental passage to said third port in the inflation position of said sleeve assembly. 